QIPCO British Champions Day 2026: Richest Races

The prize money on offer for this year’s event stands at £4.35 million for the winners of each of the races across the afternoon.

The highly prestigious QIPCO British Champions Day is set to make its long-awaited return to the historic and iconic Ascot Racecourse imminently. This year’s event will take place this weekend, on Saturday 17th October 2026.

It is amongst the richest race meetings in the country at the moment, with total prize money for the winners standing at an incredible £4.35 million for 2026. There will be six races, which will be as follows: The 2YO Conditions Race (12:55), The QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (13:20), the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (14:05), the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (14:45), the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (15:25), the QIPCO Champion Stakes (16:05), and the Balmoral Handicap (16:40).

Here, we are going to be taking a look at the races at this year’s QIPCO British Champions Day that offer the most prize money for the winner.

3 – Long Distance Cup, Champions Sprint Stakes, and Fillies & Mares Stakes (£500,000)

We start this list with the 2026 renewal of the Long Distance Cup, the Champions Sprint Stakes, and the Fillies & Mares Stakes, which are worth £500,000 each in terms of prize money for the winner.

The Champions Sprint Stakes is arguably the standout race out of these three, with the most recent winner being Calandagan in 2025, who was ridden to victory by Jockey Mickael Barzalona. Ombudsman came in second place, whilst it was Almaqam who rounded off the top three in third place.

View the race highlights (via Ascot Racecourse on YouTube):

It was Colin Keane, on board Kalpana, who retained the 2025 Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot Racecourse, fending off competition from Estrange and Quisisana, who came in second and third place in the end.

Meanwhile, it was Trawlerman, ridden by Jockey William Buick, who won the most recent running of the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup back in 2025, with Robert Havlin’s Sweet William and Al Qareem having to settle for second and third place finishes in the end.

2 – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (£1.1million)

We now move on to the race with the second most prize money on offer at British Champions Day this year – the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. More than £1.1 million is on offer for whoever gets across the line in pole position at the end of the latest chapter in the history of this historic race.

The most recent winner of this particular race was 100/1 longshot Cicero’s gift, ridden by Jason Watson, who came out on top in the end, with The Lion In Winter coming in second place, followed by Alakazi, who rounded off the top three in this race in third.

View the highlights from the 2024 version of this race here (via Ascot Racecourse on YouTube):

1 – Champion Stakes (£1.3 million)

We now move on to the richest race being run at the 2026 QIPCO British Champions Day at the incredible Ascot Racecourse, which is going to be the highly prestigious Champion Stakes. The prize money on offer for the winner is £1.3 million; all eyes will be on the enthralling racing as all those in attendance eagerly await to find out who will come out on top this year.

Mickael Barzalona rode Calandagan to victory in the most recent running of the Champion Stakes back in 2025, fending off some stern competition from the likes of Ombudsman (ridden by William Buick) and Almaqam (ridden by Kieran Shoemark), who had to settle for the other two spots in the race’s top three, coming in second and third place respectively in the end.

Take a look at the highlights from the 2024 version of this race here (via Racing TV on YouTube):

Excitement and anticipation are building rapidly ahead of what is set to be a day of exhilarating racing with a simply tremendous atmosphere to boot. A plethora of racegoers will attend one of the world’s most famous and historic racecourses on Saturday, 17th October 2026.

There is no better way to experience world-class horse racing at Ascot Racecourse than with an Eventmasters VIP Hospitality Package. Contact us on 020 7989 6500, or via the form below. Book now to avoid disappointment!